Is my son underweight for his age?

Q:My 4 years 8 months old son weighs 14kg and is 104 cm (3 feet 5 inches) tall. He was 3 kg when he was born and 9 kg at 1 year. After that, he not gained substantial weight and has always been thin. He is a fussy eater as well. His daily diet consists of 2 glasses of milk, pulses, rice, vegetables and fruits. He doesn’t like junk food and fried stuff and naturally likes healthy food. He is an active child yet doesn’t have a good appetite. I am worried if my child underweight. Could worms be the cause for his poor appetite? Do I need to show him to a doctor or take any specific tests?

A:His weight is not a cause for concern. If he is active he will not put on large amounts of weight. Weight gain is roughly between 1 and 1.5 Kg in a year normally. He does not need any tests. You do not need to see a doctor about the weight gain. If he has been dewormed recently do not repeat the medicine. Deworm once every 6 to 12 months.